Moistening device.



A. B. WILSON,

MOSTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2?. 1916.

1 ,240,279. Patented Sept, 18, 1917.

1 N V EN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

ALERT B. WILSON, OF LOWELL, MASSAGHUSETTS.

MOISTENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 191?,

'Application filed March 27-, 1918. Serial Ho. 86,883.

To all 'whom it may concew:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. W ILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented ccr tain'new and useful Improvements in Moistening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention belongs to the class of moistening devices which are used especially by cashiers and others who have occasion to count money or to count and handle any other sheet material such as paper. It may also be used by persons who have occasion to handle sheet material of any kind.

Its purpose is to provide a convenient device whereby the fingers, thumbs, or fingers and thumb may be moistened more or less to prevent slipping and to secure a more certain touch in handling such materials.

It is so made that more or less moisture can be taken up as desired.

It may be instantly taken apart 'or cleaning and instantly put together again, while the dirt is carried over or down and settles in a water container in such a position that it is not stirred up or disturbed by the continued use of the device.

It includes substantially a water container, preferably of rectangular form open at the top and having supports or bearngs for a removable sha't which may or may not be revoluble, together with one or more disks of firm absorbent material, preferably having a fine grain and of hard teXture, such as, for instance, compressed :felt of pure wool. I may use one or more disks removably and revolubly mounted on the shaft, of such size and of such position that they will project above the top rim of the water container and will eXtend below the water level therein. v A y The material should be of such texture that capillary attraction will cause the water to work upward and keep the top of the disks moist at all times.

The top surface, however, of the disks will not be too moist, and if more moisture is desired, disks can be readily swung around by the thumb or finger to carry up more water. Any eXcess rapidly runs down through the disk material or between the disks, and my guard member preventssplashing.

r The material is of such close grain teXture that` dirt does not readily stick to it, but

runs down with the water or is carried over when the disks are caused to crawl or spin.

I prefer also to provide a guard of sheet material having ends bent downwardly and outwardly to rest upon the bottom of the container and having sufiicient spring to engage the ends of the container, such guard having also an opening in the top through which disks project. I also prefer to provide the guard with ears, preferably of semi-circuiar form, stamped from the material of the guard, which project upward on each side of the disks to assist in keeping them in place and to act as brakes to prevent spinning.

I prefer also to provide a detachable guide member of sheet material, having legs which straddle the shaft and rest upon the bottom of the container, and which extends upward and over the disks proximate the top thereof, whereby the device can be used for moistening the flaps of envelops, stamps, etc.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the device assembled, the detachable guide member being indicated by dotted lines Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation with the parts in place. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the water container. Fig. 4 shows the guard, shaft, and one of the disks in perspective and disassembled. Fig. 5 is an end view with part of the tank broken away showing the detachable guide member in place, and Rig. 6 is a side elevation of the guide member detached.

A represents the water container which is shown as being in the form of a tank, with a bottom 10, ends 11 and 12, sides 13 and 14, and with an open top. At each side is a ridge, such as shown at 15, in which I prefer to make a seni-circular depression 16 which servesas a support or bearing for one end of a shaft 20.

Upon this shaft I mount one or more disks 30, 31, 32 which are preferably made of hard, fine grained compressed felt of pure wool. I might use a single disk, but I prefer to use a plurality. The shaft and its support are so placed, and the disks are of such diameter, that the disks project above the top edge of the water container and eX- tend down into it below the water level, which is indicated at 33 by the dotted line.

The guard member indicated by B is preferably stamped from a single piece of sheet material, such as brass or aluminum, and

includes a fiat top 40 in which is an opening ll of a size to permit the disks to project through with a fairly close fit when the ends &2 and 43 which are bent down and out rest upon the bottom of container A. The ends or legs 42 and 43 should be of such length that the top LO of' the gua'rd member will be substantially below the top of the water containe', and I prefer that the ends and sides around the top on the inside should be slightly beveled, as shown, whereby any water which may'get on the top &0 will run back where it belongs and will not run ever on the outside of the tanl. Scmi-circular ears & l and 45 are stamped from the material and bent upwardly as shown. The ends 4:2 and 43 serve as le 's and referabl 7 are bent out vard so as to normally be a slightly greater distance apart at their free ends than the bottom inside length of'cont'ainer A, whereby the guide will not rattle and cannot be readilj shahen out. This top 40 of the gnard member B should just fit in the top of container A so that there will be no chance for water to stand between its bent down ends 42 and 4:3 and the ends 11 and 12 of the water container A.

In Figs. 5 and 6, l show a device, which I will call a detaehable guide member, C, which is preferably stamped :from a single piece of" sheet material so as to have legs 50 and 51, the space between being of such width and height that they can straddle the i shaft 20 and rest upon the bottom of the container. I prefer to bend up a tongue from the materal 52 whchs 'cut out so as to press the device between an ear and I the adjoining disk, whereby the guide is held in place without rattling. The other endet' the guide extends upward and is bent over at 53, proximate the top of the disks, and is preferably turned up at the extreme corners 54 and 55 tofacilitate the introduction of the fiap of an envelop or similar article.

To use for this purpose, the flap with the gummed side down is drawn between guide C and'the top of the disks, preferably with the thumb of one hand pressed down upon the top 53 of the guide so as to insure thorough contact. y

If the disks become worn, loose or wabbly, the ears 44:', 45 may be bent against them to keep them steady. 4 I can use my disks of hard, fine grained, compressed felt of pure wool without a shaft or' guard, allowing them merely to rest on the bottom of the water container where they serve as a very satisfactory absorbent medium whether they are revoluble or stationary. 4 r

I claim:

1. In a moistening device, the combina- 'tion' of a water containcr having interier* shaft supports near the top at each side, a

bent downwardly and outwardly to rest upon the bottom of the container and to engage the ends thereof, such ends being of i suchlength that the top ofthe guard 'will be beloWthe top rim of the water container, and i will fit closely inside thereof at a point above the water level, and having an opening in' the top through which the disks project.

2. In a moistening device, the combination of a water container having interier shaft supports near the top at each side, a shaft which is removablj mounted on such supports, and one or more disks, each formed entirely of compressed felt, so revolubly mounted on the shaft as to project above the top rim of the water container and to extend below the water level therein, combined with a removable guard of sheet material having ends bent'downwarclly and outwardly to rest upon the bottom ofthe container and to engage the ends thereof,

such ends being of such length that'the top of the guard' will be below the top rim of the water container andhaving an opening in' the top through which the di'sks project.

3. In a moistening device, the combnaton of a water: container having interier 'shaft 100 supports near the top at each side, a shaft which is removably mounted on such' supports, and one or more disks, each formed entirely of compressed felt, so revolubly mounted on the shaft as to project above the top rim of the water container and to extendbelow the water level theren, combined with' a removable guard of sheet material having ends'bent downwardly and' outwardly to rest upon the bottom of the' container and to engage the ends thereof, such ends being of such length that the top oi' the guard will be below the top rim of the water container, and such top being of a size to fit closely therein, an' opening in the top through which the disks project, and cars which project; upwarclly proximate the sides of the disks.

4. In a moistening devi'ce, the combination of a water eontainer having' interier shaft supports near the top at each side, a shaft which is removably mounted on such sup- 'ports, and one or more disks, eachformed entirely of compressed "felt, so revolubly mounted 011 the shaft as to project above the top rim of the water container and to eXtend i below the water level therein, combined with a removable guard of sheet material having ends bent' 'downwardly and outwardly to rest upon the bottom of the container and to engage the ends thereof, andan opening in the top through which the disks project,

together with a detachable guide member of sheet material having legs which straddle the shaft and rest on the bottom of the container, and which extends upward and over the disks and proximate the top thereof.

5. In a moistening device, the combinaton of a water contaner having interiorshaft supports near the top at each side, a shaft which is removably mounted on such supports, and one or more disks, each formed entirely of compressed felt, so revolubly mounted on the shaft as to project above the top 'rim of the water container and to eXtend below the water level therein, combined with a removable guard of sheet material having ends bent downwardly and outwardly to rest upon the bottom of the container and to engag the ends thereof, an opening in the top through which the disks project, and ears which project upwardly proximate the sides of the disks, together with a detachable guide member of sheet material, having legs which straddle the shaft and rest on the bottom of the container, a tongue adapted to engage an ear, and a part which extends up ward and over the disks and proximate the top thereof having its corners turned up above the disk. V

6. In a moistening device, the combination of a water container having interior shaft supports near the top at each side, a shaft which is removably mounted on such supports, and one or more disks, each formed entrely of compressed felt, so revolubly mounted on the shaft as to project above the top rim of the water container and to eXtend below the water level therein, combined with a removable guard of sheet material, having a top which fits closely in the top of the water container, and ends bent downwardly and outwardlyto rest upon the bottom of the container and to engage the ends thereof, such ends being of such length'that the top of the guard will be below the top rim of the water container, an opening in the top through which the disks project, and ears which project u-pwardly and engage the sides of the disks.

In testimony whereof I her-eto afiix my signature.

ALBERT B. WILSON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Gommissioner of Patenta,

' Washington, D. C." 

